Seventeen hunger programs across North and South Dakota received almost $12,000 as a result of the cash offering from 2017 fall mission events. This fall churches in the Dakotas Conference held mission events throughout North and South Dakota inclulding: Mission Café and Bakery, Sioux Falls, SD, Prairie Hills East Mission Fair, Pierre, SD and Prairie Hills West Mission Fair in Sturgis, SD.  UMCOR kits were collected at the mission events held in South Dakota and at  as well as  Bismarck, Minot and Fargo in North Dakota.

Total cash receipts from the fall events were over $66,000. Income from the events provides funding for hunger projects in the Dakotas Conference and throughout the world. This year our online auction brought in $3,842.50.

Churches were invited to apply for funds to assist with projects that feed those in need.  A committee considered applications and awarded $11,964.82 in funds based on the following criteria: community scope of the hot meal program, size of the program, longevity of the program and geographical location. Funds were awarded to programs with the primary focus of serving hot meals with time for fellowship.

The committee awarded seventeen grants ranging from $100-$2,500. There were three new recipients, The Gathering-Madison, SD, Naomi Project-Sioux Falls, SD, and Feeding Hayward School-Sioux Falls, SD.  Six of the grant winners serve meals to senior citizens throughout the Dakotas Conference.

UMCOR kits were also collected at the fall mission events.The total value of the UMCOR kits collected was $189,504 bringing the grand total for the fall mission events to $255,793.35.

UMCOR relief kit changes

There has been a change in the kits that the UMCOR Depot collects.UMCOR will only be collecting cleaning kits, hygiene (health) kits and school kits. Churches in the Dakotas Conference are asked, please do not include aerosol cans or bleach in cleaning kits that are assembled. For ease in shipping, please use pump bug spray or air freshener and cleaning liquids that do not include bleach. UMCOR relief kits will be distributed within the United States. International distribution of relief supplies will be discontinued by December 31, 2017.  Relief grants will be offered to international partners to allow for local purchase and assembly of kits which are more culturally appropriate. Go to the UMCOR website for more details.

If your church has started any of the other UMCOR kits that are discontinued, we will take those in 2018 to use thoughout the Dakotas Conference ministries.

If you have any questions, please contact JoAnn Schlimgen at the Dakotas Conference Office.